The Fenom Effect launches November 9 and features Abby Wambach, Chloe Kim and Maya Moore — all athletes who spark change on and off the field of play.
Source: Nike Releases New Podcast Highlighting Brilliant Female Athletes
I could easily make this post about the lack of WNBA ads throughout the year from Nike. I could take this post and discuss that instead of developing a podcast to talk about the brilliant female athletes, they take the money and pay those brilliant female athletes, or invest more money into the off-season marketing and performance training of the female athletes… I could really find a way to dig into the uneven playing field that female athletes deal with constantly, but that would be hating. I admit that it would be hating because when a brand takes time to develop content that will measure the interest in female sports, that is a good thing.
The ongoing discussion over the WNBA player’s battle for higher pay is being tossed around and one of the primary arguments by those who say the W doesn’t deserve more money is that they can’t turn a profit and no one cares about women’s sports. What Nike has done here is to turn the discussion back to the supporters of the league and supporters of ‘equality’ in women’s sports.
I’ve written in letters to different people that the WNBA can’t be measured in viewers because the schedule is too erratic and the viewing doesn’t happen where everyone can see it. Men’s sports have been televised for years. People know where to find it because the channels associated with the sports have theme songs that ring in your head for where and when to watch:
Remember Hank Williams and Carrie Underwood singing about the NFL on Sunday and Monday night. TNT had a long running “Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday” chant from Ernie and Kenny Smith. Everyone that watches basketball knows that as the NFL season ends The NBA has showcase games on ABC, national television, on Sundays. This is important because the WNBA doesn’t have one single nationally televised game. This means those that can’t afford extended cable or Sling, will never have a chance to see the games. Which also means that a community where basketball is really important doesn’t get to see the sport. If no one can see the games and they don’t have an idea of the schedule readily available, the sport isn’t aspirational which is a completely different discussion.
Nike’s podcast could be attacked, but it shouldn’t be because those who have iTunes or internet access and are very vocal about women’s sports will get a chance to tune in and show the viability of talk radio for women’s sports. Two unfortunate things? The same people who aren’t as technologically connected won’t get to hear the podcast and if the podcast doesn’t perform well it can be used to justify the inequality around pay.
For Nike this doesn’t matter because they win either way. Nike is now the brand taking up the “cause”. If it fails they can say they tried. If it wins, it only proves what I said in my recent book about Nike’s intent to become even more of a tech and media company. For my part I want the podcast to do well, but Nike should really consider extending the reach of the show and recording video to present on YouTube as well.
You can find the podcast here: https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/the-fenom-effect/id1440667897?mt=2
